The Moment Things Changed
by terynjrobinson
Summary: SPOILER ALERT for Season 5, Episode 9! This begins with that final scene and follows the Dynamic Doccubus Duo through what I think happens as a result of that scene. Currently, this is a one-shot. I've got more written, though not a full chapter. This can stand alone.
1. Chapter 1

A/N 1: SPOILER ALERT for Season 5, Episode 9 – You've been warned, and seriously, don't ruin yourselves, people!

A/N 2: This was posted and then removed about five minutes later because of formatting errors—at least for me. I apologize for that. While this isn't my first fic, it's my first posting to , so the formatting of things eludes me, apparently. So much for considering myself tech-savvy.

Also: I own nothing and don't profit from this. I just love this show.

Honestly, few things scared Bo anymore. She'd survived countless Big Bad Fae, including the Garuda and now the Nyx. There was little that faedon could throw at her that would frighten her.

Lauren's mortality, though, that terrified her.

Walking hand in hand, they were happy. They were finally happy. And Lauren, she was downright joyful, the way she ran into the street and proclaimed her love for Bo. Lauren's joy was infectious. Any onlookers could tell they were deeply in love.

And in an instant, it was gone. It was all gone, taken from Bo before she could blink. A moment of nothingness, of utter shock, was followed by the horror of the one thing Bo truly feared, and the bile churned her stomach, threatening to splatter Bo's last meal on the pavement.

Bo was quite certain she'd never seen so much blood in her life, and for a second, she was frozen, torn between calling for an ambulance and pushing her chi into Lauren.

It was a matter of seconds between Lauren falling to the ground and Bo crouching to give Lauren her chi. Bo leaned in to press her lips to Lauren's when it happened. Lauren's eyes shot open, and they were glowing. They were a bright cerulean, and before she could register that brilliant blue, she felt her life slip past her lips. Except she hadn't yet begun giving her life to Lauren. No, Lauren was taking it.

 _Oh god, Lauren. What did you do?_

Bo felt the tug on her insides, like something was literally being pulled from everywhere, from all of her. Her life was flowing from deep within, from her cells, from every bit of her. She felt the chi slip through her throat and brush across her tongue. This wisps swirled in her mouth, the tendrils tickling her lips.

Just as each moment since Lauren was hit by the car was saturated with a different, powerful emotion, so, too, were the first moments of Bo's life force passing into Lauren. As the reality of Lauren's genetic handiwork dawned on Bo, she felt waves of feelings wash over her. She was shocked. She was excited. She was aroused. She was afraid. Bo was afraid for Lauren, but Bo was also afraid for herself. A succubus was sucking her chi, a succubus who probably didn't know how to stop the bright blue flow. Bo wasn't in control of this exchange of life, and that scared her. She had to pull away because she was certain that, like in the infancy of her own fae development, Lauren wouldn't be able to stop the flow, but being fae, being stronger than a human, Bo could stop it. She could cease the flow and keep Lauren from draining a good portion of her essence.

Bo pulled back, cutting the flow off with a little distance and the turn of her head. She was breathless, panting, kneeling on the asphalt in the dark, looking down at her lover, the woman who, mere seconds ago, was all but lost to her.

Lauren gasped, her head jerked up slightly and then fell back to the ground and into the pool of her own blood. She took several deep, labored breaths and started to move.

Seeing Lauren breathing snapped Bo immediately back from her thoughts and into the present. "Babe, stay still, okay? I've got you."

"Bo..."

"I've got you." Bo scooped Lauren up from the ground and ran. She didn't know where she was running to, just that they needed to get away from that scene, from the middle of the street. The park. There was a park a half block away. They'd just walked past it. Bo turned and sprinted to the park, scanning for a secluded spot. Finding one, she lowered Lauren softly down, helping her lean against a tree.

"Are you still in pain? Are you still bleeding?" Bo blurted out, her eyes and hands searching Lauren's body for a serious injury that needed pressure applied, for a bone protruding. Nothing was serious externally, but Lauren had to be bleeding internally. "Let me give you my chi," she said, leaning in, her face meeting Lauren's.

This time, prickling of chi passing out of her cells felt controlled. It felt normal to Bo. This was a sensation she knew, the push of chi from every corner within her to a flow between her lips. Lauren leaned into her, her lips ghosting over Bo's as she took in the chi offered to her. Bo leaned back just enough to keep the flow going and to see the marks marring her love's beautiful face. She watched the facial lacerations heal themselves, and as her eyes focused back on Lauren's, the sensation of pushing chi into Lauren started to change. Lauren was drinking; she was drinking Bo in like she had just spent days in the desert, her thirst insatiable. When Bo recognized that, she stopped the flow. This time, she was the one panting, exhausted and in need of rest and breath. "Are you okay?" she asked as she took several deep breaths. "Are you okay inside? Have you healed?"

"I think so." Lauren's voice sounded more sure than the last time she spoke. She looked like she was in much better shape. "This wasn't the heavy breathing I was looking forward to doing with you tonight." Lauren joked.

Bo chuckled and leaned her forehead against Lauren's for a second, smiling at the thought that everything was okay. Bo leaned back on her heels. The madness of the last few minutes started to play out on her face; Lauren could see the internal struggles as her features changed. "You're really okay? You've healed?" Bo asked.

"Yes," Lauren told her, breathing comfortably.

"Yeah?" Bo still searched Lauren's features. "What did you do? What did you do to yourself? What the fuck?" Her concern had shifted to frustration.

"Bo..."

"Ugh, Lauren! You were dying! I watched you dying. And why didn't you tell me? What did you do to yourself? What if it isn't safe? I can't watch you die again. I can't." By the end of her outburst, Bo's eyes were filled with tears. "I don't want to lose you over a science experiment. I don't want to lose you because some stupid fae find out you have fae powers and they don't like it." Bo paused. "Shit, Lauren." She scooped Lauren into her arms, holding her for dear life. They were both crying. The adrenaline of the accident and subsequent healing finally started to dissipate, leaving Bo and Lauren with the reality of the overwhelming fear from the situation, with more questions than answers.

Bo leaned back, taking Lauren's hands in hers. "How?"

"Not here."

"How do you feel? Can you walk?"

Lauren smiled. "Yes, actually, I think I can. I feel good." They rose.

"You're covered in blood. I don't want to go back the way we came. I don't want anyone who was at the accident scene to see us-see you. You face has healed, but you still have blood on your hair and on your clothes. Here, take my jacket. You can wear that, and maybe you can do something with your sweater?"

"I hate to ruin it..."

"Lauren..."

"Right. Okay. Maybe I can get some of my hair cleaned off on my sweater. Do you have a hair tie? Maybe it'll help if I pull it back."

"Here," Bo said, removing the rubber band from her wrist. She helped Lauren tidy up.

"Ready," Lauren said, smiling at Bo. Her sweater was balled up in a completely untidy and un-Lauren way. "Evidence," she said as the saw Bo notice she still had her cardigan. "I don't want anyone to have such easy access to my blood."

"Okay. Let's go." Bo strategized a route as they walked, taking them through alleys and side streets until the arrived at the Camaro.

"So, um, surprise!" Lauren said after they'd both closed their car doors and Bo had turned to look at her.

"This is what you meant, isn't it? When you said the maybe I didn't have to lose you?"

"Yes." Lauren paused. "I didn't know how to tell you yet."

"Well, that was some way to announce it. I hope that people didn't see the chi." The fear of the chi flow being seen did give both of them pause. So many years of keeping the fae secret couldn't be obliterated by Lauren's first feed. The elders wouldn't stand for it. _The elders..._

"Oh, god. We're going to have a shitstorm to deal with when people find out, if that's how they find out." The reality of fae politics suddenly felt overwhelming. "Trick and Evony. Oh, Evony... Lauren, you aren't going to be safe when she finds out that you've been researching making yourself fae instead of trying to find a way to reverse taking hers."

"Bo, one step at a time. We can't deal with all of them tonight. Besides, this just happened. Today. Your father-"

"What about my father?" Bo jumped in quickly.

"Bo, I couldn't have done this without him. When he was in my lab before you got there, he saw the chemistry notes I had. He solved the problem. I've been stuck for weeks on this, on getting any fae DNA to bind, and he had the answer. He took a look at the notes and had an idea, and it worked. When I saw it under the microscope, I couldn't believe it. I had been stalled on both Evony and myself. I was out of ideas, and he had the key. I might even actually be able to deliver on Evony."

"Maybe think on that delivery method." Bo regretted it as soon as the words left her mouth.

Lauren's face changed. She looked guarded. "That's not fair, and you know it."

"I'm sorry. I really am, Lauren. That was a stupid thing to say." They sat silently for a few moments. "Why, Lauren?"

"Evony? Haven't we been over this?" Lauren was becoming frustrated.

"No, this. You, fae." Sensing the sincerity behind Bo's question, hearing the concern in her voice, Lauren's expression softened. "Did you do this because of me? I never wanted you to change for me, Lauren. I love you. I-"

"I did this for me, Bo. Yes, you're part of that. I'd be lying if I said you weren't. This was a long time coming. You can't know what it's like to know that you and all of our friends will outlive me by hundreds—even thousands-of years, that you'll have lifetimes after I'm gone, that you'll love someone else, maybe a couple of someone elses. And I was always going to be insecure about you feeding." Bo looked like she was going to speak, but Lauren stopped her, going on. "Bo, you don't have to say it. I know that it's just feeding to you. It's not your issue; it's mine, and I was in a position to do something about it. So, I did." Bo was silent. "Bo, what are you thinking? Talk to me."

Bo rubbed her forehead. A million things were running through her mind. "The politics. What are people going to say? You won't be safe."

Lauren put a hand up to stop her. "For the first time, I can protect myself. I'm stronger now, Bo."

"There's so much to teach you..."

"Can we worry about that and Evony and the politics tomorrow? I almost died tonight."

"You almost died," Bo whispered, emotions rising again.

"Take me home. To the clubhouse. I want to sink into that tub, and then I want to sink into your arms in bed."

Bo reached out and touched Lauren's hair softly before she turned from her and started the car. They drove in silence. Lauren's hand found its way to Bo's thigh, and Bo gave it a gentle squeeze at the first red light they reached. There would be plenty to discuss, but those small gestures reassured them both that their foundation was okay.

They walked from the car to the clubhouse hand in hand. Lauren entered ahead of Bo, and Bo helped Lauren out of her jacket as they headed into the sparse living room.

"Head up if you want," Bo said, heading to the kitchen. "I'll get us something to drink and meet you up there. Wine?"

"Please," Lauren replied, fatigue in her voice.

In the kitchen, Bo pulled a couple bottles of water and a bottle of white wine from the cooler. She noticed the pizza in the back-only a day old-and decided to plate that up for them. They'd never made it to dinner. Bo found a tray behind the big popcorn bowls in a cupboard and arranged everything for the trip upstairs. She placed the tray on the bed, depositing the water bottles on the night stands. She poured them each a glass of wine and decided to light some candles. A bath with wine deserves candles, she reasoned. She picked up the tray with wine glasses and pizza and headed into the bathroom.

Lauren was already chin deep in bubbles, her eyes closed. She let out a contented sign upon hearing Bo approaching and turned her head to look at her. Bo knelt down beside the tub and offered her girlfriend a glass and some pizza.

"Pizza and wine. My hero," Lauren exhaled before taking a long sip.

"Do you want help with your hair? That blood was a mess," Bo said as she set down the tray on the bathroom floor.

"Sure." Lauren stuffed pizza in her mouth and leaned forward to allow Bo access. She tugged at the hair tie in Lauren's hair, freeing the blond waves. After putting shampoo in her hands, she started working the blood from Lauren's hair, massaging her skull. "Mmmm," Lauren sighed under Bo's ministrations-music to Bo's ears. "Aren't you going to join me?" Lauren questioned her.

"I thought you'd never ask," Bo said with a smile. She leaned forward to kiss the top of Lauren's head before she went to get undressed. A minute later, she slipped in behind Lauren, who leaned back against her. Bo wrapped her arms around Lauren's middle, and Lauren leaned back with her head on Bo's shoulder. They both closed their eyes and sat in silence for awhile, enjoying the hot water and the way they felt sitting together. "I love you, Lauren Lewis," Bo whispered before kissing Lauren's temple.

"I love you, too."

"Please don't ever play in traffic again."

"Hmm. Deal."

Finally, one of them made a move for more wine and pizza. They finished off the leftovers and emptied their glasses as they shared easy conversation. Bo shared a story about a recent conversation with Trick. Lauren told Bo about a couple interesting cases she's seen recently in the clinic. They stayed away from the earlier topics of conversation.

Eventually, the water began to cool and the women grew tired. They pulled their tired bodies from the bath and prepared for bed.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Reminder: SPOILER ALERT for 509!

Thanks for all of the feedback, faves, and follows. It means more than a quick note could say.

I rarely write fic that's longer than 100 words at a go or that's got a sex scene. And yet, here we are. This sets up for another chapter, but I'm not sure that I have enough plot figured out to write another chapter. We'll see. Right now, I'm swamped at work, so I'm not sure I'd even have time. I'll see what I can do.

Bo and Lauren had both been exhausted, the kind you feel deep all the way to your bones. They both acknowledged their own want for the other, but ultimately, once they crawled info Bo's bed and wound their bodies together, they were blanketed with sleep.

Despite nearly dying, Lauren was the one who slept soundly. Bo, on the other hand, woke more then once from a nightmare, watching Lauren thrown to the ground again and again, waking each time with a sheen of sweat all over her body. Eventually, she decided to lay awake for awhile. She held Lauren closer to her and took solace in the steady calm of Lauren's breathing.

She wasn't sure how long she was awake before Lauren stirred. The darkness of the windows told Bo it was still early, predawn. Lauren yawned and stretched her long limbs, curling back around Bo's lithe form. Bo let out s slight laugh when Lauren moved her hand across Bo's midsection. "It tickles," she whispered by way of explanation.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were awake." Lauren moved her head to look up a Bo.

"Restless night, I guess." Bo wasn't sure she wanted to tell Lauren her subconscious kept replaying the accident in her dreams.

"Would you like me to move over a little, give you a little space?"

"Not s chance," Bo said as she leaned over to kiss the part in Lauren's hair. They were still and quiet for quite awhile, just holding one another.

"Bo?"

"Hm?"

"You taste amazing. Your chi, I mean. It's like nothing I've ever experienced. Has anyone ever told you that?"

"No one ever tastes it. My mom is the only other succubus I know, and I've never met an incubus. And usually, if I'm giving my chi to someone, it's more that they're dying than that they're actually experiencing it."

"That last bit of chi you gave me? Wow." Bo chuckled at the enthusiastic surprise in Lauren's voice. "Does everyone taste good to you?" Lauren asked her.

"No. I mean, there's not really a lot of bad chi out there, unless it's been intentionally tainted. I'm not crazy about ogres or the one lupercus I've tasted."

Lauren chuckled. "Dyson would absolutely love hearing that you didn't like the taste of his arch enemy." Bo chuckled, too.

"I know, right?"

"How does chi make you feel?"

"Good chi is definitely satisfying. My body buzzes with it. Really good chi, though, that can be nearly orgasmic. You," she paused to bring Lauren's hand to her lips to kiss, "have really, really good chi. I still want to talk about your decision to do this, but not as much as I want to taste your fae chi. Your human chi tasted better than any fae chi I've tasted, so—"

"Really? My human chi tasted better than fae chi? You don't have to lie about that."

"Lauren, that's the truth. Maybe it's about love. There's still a lot I don't know about my species. I do know, though, that I've never tasted anything that could come close to the few sips I've taken from you. There were times I just wanted to devour you, but it was more important to me to be careful. As good as your chi may be, all of you—in one piece—means more." Bo felt Lauren smile into her skin. She hadn't set out to pepper Lauren with compliments; she was being truthful.

"Flattery will get you… everywhere, Bo Dennis," Lauren told her, moving slightly away from Bo to prop herself up on her arm.

"Do you promise?" Bo asked with a grin. She rolled onto her side to face Lauren, propping her head up on her hand.

"Oh, yes."

"Do tell." Lauren silenced Bo with the touch of her index finger to Bo's lips. A second after touching Bo's beautiful mouth, Lauren ran the tip of her finger across Bo's lips, feeling the soft skin just waiting for her. Bo parted her lips slightly, inviting Lauren to slip her finger into Bo's mouth, but Lauren withdrew, running her finger down Bo's chin, her neck, her collarbone, and between Bo's breasts. She paused them and moved her hand to take Bo's hip as she leaned forward to kiss her. Lauren's touch was soft, her lips moving gently against Bo's. Bo's mouth had remained slightly parted, and when Lauren's opened, they explored one another in s way that conveyed they needed but weren't needy. Lauren's hand on Bo's hip worked Bo, laying her on her back. Lauren moved atop her, her thigh sliding between Bo's. When the soft skin of Lauren's thigh moved in with a gentle press against Bo's sex, she moaned into Lauren's kiss. Lauren knew that was her green light to drive Bo forward wherever Lauren wanted to go.

Lauren's lips left Bo's in favor of an exploration of her lover's skin. She placed kisses on Bo's chin, her jawline, moving down Bo's neck as Bo began to work her fingers into Lauren's hair with one hand, while the other moved down to cup Lauren's ass. At that bit of encouragement, Lauren nipped at the skin where Bo's neck became her shoulder, and Bo let out a sigh Lauren knew meant that she should keep going.

Bo moaned again, louder, when Lauren made her way to Bo's breasts, paying them each due respect with the curling of her tongue and the way her teeth moved over Bo's sensitive skin. While Lauren's mouth paid attention to Bo's chest, the hand she'd be trailing down Bo's torso moved down to the curls of Bo's abdomen, tracing circles through Bo's hair before moving down to caress the inside of Bo's thighs.

"Lauren," Bo breathed out, one hand kneading Lauren's scalp, which the hand on Lauren's ass pulled her closer still. The way Bo pushed Lauren closer in made Lauren smile into the skin of Bo's abdomen. She crawled back up Bo's middle to place more kisses on her neck, her jaw, and the corner of Bo's mouth before taking her into a fiery kiss. Bo's head rose from the bed to keep contact with Lauren's fevered lips as Lauren sank her fingers between Bo's folds. The slight loss of control that Bo had had in their kiss told Lauren Bo wouldn't be able to draw this teasing out long before her need would be too great. Lauren moved her mouth back to teasing and sucking Bo's nipples while her fingers moved through Bo's wetness. She dipped two fingers inside Bo and moved her slick fingers to Bo's core, caressing Bo's nerve center before applying more pressure and intensity.

The sounds Bo made when they made love drove Lauren mad with want. Lauren doubted her touches could ever convey the passion Bo ignited in her.

When Lauren quickened her pace, Bo felt her own skin quiver. "God, Lauren. You feel," she paused. It was becoming damn near impossible to speak. "So... so...good." The last word was practically a growl. Lauren moved her fingers in and out of Bo while her thumb worked Bo's bud. When she started to feel Bo's muscles contract against her hand, she grazed Bo ever so lightly with her short nails.

Bo tipped over the edge, and she was loud. Lauren moved her hand to Bo's hip, resting it on her hipbone while she felt her girlfriend tremble beneath her. Bo's sights and sounds drove Lauren mad, and she moved against Bo's thigh, feeling her own wetness there before Bo even touched her.

Lauren's next move was pure instinct. Her mouth moved hard against Bo's before she pulled away slightly, the blue stream of Bo's chi pulled deep within Lauren, and Lauren climaxed. What tiny semblance of thought she had before she went over the edge was full of shock at how quickly taking in Bo's chi made her come. She couldn't scream; her body only wanted Bo's life force.

Lauren's control slipped in her ecstasy, just as Bo began her return to earth. The feel of Lauren's body writhing on her own was enough to tip the flow of chi from Lauren to Bo. With Bo's first real tug, another wave of passion rolled over Lauren; Bo could feel her muscles contract.

Bo was used to always keeping a bit of awareness when she fed. She learned a little bit of her mind needed to be present if she were to stay in control. Tasting and feeling Lauren was making that very, very difficult. Never had Bo experienced a feed like this. Every push and pull of chi, every muscle contraction, every sweat-sheened move they made against each other, every delicious taste drove Bo wild, and not just with pleasure. With love.

In a thin thread of awareness, the sort of moment Bo normally held onto when she fed, an idea dawned on her; she knew why Lauren chose to be a succubus: _We could cycle in our passion like this forever._ In the awareness that would normally keep her grounded, she did what she knew they needed, the opposite of what she wanted: she stopped feeding. She buried her face in Lauren's neck, her hair, and she just focused on breathing, purposely keeping her mouth from Lauren's for a moment. She knew the initial emptiness she felt for the first seconds after she stopped a passionate feed, so she held Lauren tight. Lauren sobbed into Bo's hair. Bo pushed her brain into the present and set about soothing Lauren, rubbing her back, her hair, and when they were finally able to pull far enough away from one another that Bo could see Lauren's face, she wiped tears away with the pad of her thumb.

"Shhh," Bo whispered. "I have you. I love you."

Lauren took a deep, choking breath. "I love you," she whispered in return. She looked into Bo's eyes. "How can I feel so full and so… empty?"

"It won't always be like that. It's hard at first, when it stops, when the chi stops."

"It wasn't like this earlier, and it wasn't this—"

"Intense?"

"Yes."

Bo leaned her forehead against Lauren's. "It's more intense when you feed in the throes of sex." Bo paused. "But this, this was like nothing I've ever felt. You knew about the cycling of chi, didn't you?"

"I thought it would be possible, but oh god, I had no idea it would be like this." Lauren's skin was cooling, and Bo felt her shiver. Bo pulled the sheet around them and pulled Lauren back to her.

"Maybe this wasn't the best first succubus lesson. I think we went from Succubus 101 to Advanced Succubus Techniques in your first two feedings. God, Lauren, it was—"

"Amazing. Life altering."

Bo leaned in and kissed Lauren softly. "You're amazing. And, forget what I said earlier about how amazing your human chi tasted because I have no words for how epically amazing your fae chi tastes." Lauren chuckled in a way that told Bo that her compliments were making Lauren a little self-conscious. "Really, Lauren. You're amazing. Everything about you is just amazing." She kissed Lauren again sweetly. "And, I'll teach you. I'll help you learn."

"How the tables have turned," she said, kissing Bo. Lauren laid her head down on Bo and snuggled in close. "I don't think I could sleep," Lauren told Bo, her body still feeling truly alive, "but there's no way I'm getting out of this bed and letting go of you." Lauren felt Bo smile against her.

"Good, because I'm never letting go of you."

As morning drew near, both women dozed. Bo's sleep wasn't deep, but it was nightmare-free. When her phone buzzed on the nightstand, she was close enough to consciousness to grab it quickly, though not before it work Lauren.

"Hmm," Lauren sighed. "Who?"

"Trick."

"Seriously?"

Bo swiped the screen to take the call. "Hey, Trick," she yawned into the phone. "It's early," she told her grandfather.

"Or late, depending on which of us was just at last call. Actually, I'm surprised I didn't see you. I thought you would be by to celebrate."

"Plans changed," she told him.

"That's actually why I called," he said, his tone serious.

Bo sighed. "Trick, can we do this in the morning?" Hearing the frustration in Bo's voice, Lauren ran her hand softly up and down Bo's arm.

"I don't think this should wait, Bo. Can you come by?"

"Now?"

"Bo, this is serious. Do you know of another succubus in town?"

"You're the keeper of the names. I'd think you'd know before me," she said, her eyes growing large in her discomfort. She looked at Lauren, who caught the look immediately and gave Bo a questioning look.

"Not according to what I heard this evening from one of my regulars. He said he thought he saw my granddaughter with a blonde succubus tonight."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. He said he passed an accident scene on his way here and noticed you run to a blonde woman lying in the road. He said he didn't see what happened before she was hit by a car. He said he saw her draw your chi." Trick clearly paused to convey to Bo that she was caught in a lie. Bo paused, trying to think of what to say. "So…"

"So, that did happen. Just after someone nearly died didn't seem like the right time to start talking lineage and clan affiliation." Bo was trying to downplay her involvement. She only just found out about Lauren hours before, and they hadn't yet discussed how soon anyone else needed to know. Somehow, 4am wasn't the time she thought she and Lauren would have agreed to for starting to tell everyone.

"Bo, we might need her. Can you find her?" _Phew,_ Bo thought, _he doesn't know it's Lauren_. "She might be a huge asset to our fight against the Ancients."

"Message received and understood. You may be right about that." Bo eyed Lauren. _She will, indeed, but an asset to this fight_. Lauren looked quizzically. "I'll stop by in a few hours. We can work on a plan then," she told her grandfather.

"Good. Thank you, Bo."

"You're welcome, Trick." Bo ended the call before Trick could ask further unsettling questions. "Well, shit," she said, drawing her attention back to Lauren. "Someone saw us. He doesn't know it's you, but they recognized me."

"Shit." Lauren paused only briefly as her mind and her mouth began running in overdrive. "We can't tell Trick. I'm not ready to tell Trick. I wasn't ready to tell you, yet, Bo. I wanted to run more tests, to understand my Fae strength and emotions better. Everything is happening too quickly. I'm not ready to deal with the Fae politics that we're sure to encounter when the word is out that I can turn someone Fae."

"Someone who isn't Evony."

"I wasn't even going to touch on that subject. But, yes. It caused enough problems when word got out that I had a serum to take away someone's Fae."

"Things are about to get a lot more… interesting."


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: SPOILERS FOR 5.09! Mostly just spoilery for S5 in general, aside from a mention or two._

 _Thanks for all of the feedback and encouragement. I'm shocked I've managed to write this much, but ideas about moments and conversations keep finding me. I guess I'll keep writing this until they don't. This keeps going because you keep reading, so_ _ **thank you**_ _!_

 _I welcome ideas for plot; I don't know how this will end. I think this might be bigger than I can accomplish in the next few weeks, and I'm not sure I want to go to the Ancients' endgame. I hope to get to some resolution before 5.10._

#####

Neither woman slept much after Trick's call, Lauren a little better than Bo, but because of exhaustion more than any other reason. Bo decided to give up sometime after the sun rose. She tried to gently extricate herself from Lauren's embrace, but her stirring woke the dozing doctor, who let out a large yawn before asking, "What time is it?"

"Just after 7. Go back to sleep."

"Nah," Lauren said as she stretched.

"I thought you didn't have an early shift today."

"I don't, but I want to check on Mark and Heratio."

"I should go with you. I need to see if my father is still in his cage. Couple more minutes, then we'll get up?"

"Yes, please," Lauren sighed into Bo's neck as she put her arms around Bo. Both Bo and Lauren enjoyed the quiet comfort of their embrace. Lauren stirred slightly before speaking again. "I always knew you had your badass fighting skills, and I had my badass science skills, but I never felt like we were on equal footing. I always felt like we both feared my mortality, while you could heal yourself for a thousand years. Things are different now, Bo. I finally feel like I measure up, like we're equal."

"Lauren, you have been my equal for a long time. Yeah, for those reasons, sure, but I knew we were equals the first time I slept in your arms, instead if you sleeping in mine."

"How so?"

"Take Dyson, for example-"

"Dyson?" Lauren let go of Bo and leaned up to look her in the eye. "What does he have to do with this?"

"Hear me out, okay?" Bo rolled onto her other side so she was facing Lauren.

"Okay..." Bo wasn't surprised to hear the hesitant tone in Lauren's voice.

"Dyson has 'knight in shining arm' syndrome."

"Really?" asked Lauren, her tone sarcastic. Bo shot Lauren a dirty look. "Okay, okay, I did promise to hear you out, carry on," Lauren added.

"So Dyson, who has to be everyone's hero - do you think he could ever be vulnerable with me? With anyone?"

Lauren let out a quick laugh and immediately felt guilty.

"I'll take that as a 'no,'" Bo said. "I knew you were willing to be vulnerable with me. You had to if you were going to sleep with me."

"Now, who's playing the lover's hero?"

"I know. I know I do that because I'm so afraid of losing you. But, Lauren, don't you see? You've also seen me vulnerable. I know you would do everything you could to keep me safe, too, just like I would for you. I feel safe in your arms."

"Oh."

"Emotionally, we've always been equals. That's what counts, Lauren."

"God, I do love you." Lauren leaned down and kissed Bo sweetly. "C'mon," she said, taking Bo's hand. "Shower."

Bo smiled. "Why, doctor..." she said, suggestively, as they rose from the bed. At her comment, she swore she saw Lauren's eyelashes flutter ever so slightly. "Already a pro at your succubus powers of seduction, I see."

"That's not all you're going to see." With the look Lauren gave her, Bo knew she was in trouble.

Bo started the shower, and they both climbed in. Lauren leaned in and kissed Bo, far less sweetly than she had a few minutes before. Bo moaned her approval into Lauren's mouth as Lauren's lips made quick work of Bo's, parting like an invitation that Bo's tongue gladly took. As their mouths continued to move hungrily against each other, Lauren put her hands on Bo's hips and pulled her in close. Bo began caressing Lauren's back as Lauren's mouth moved to nip Bo's earlobe before kissing the skin below it. Bo tipped her head back under the water as Lauren kissed her way down Bo's neck. The combination of warm water and Lauren's mouth were already driving Bo crazy.

"Hey, up there!" Bo and Lauren froze. "Stop fucking and get down here." Pause. "I brought coffee and breakfast!" It was Tamsin.

Lauren moved her head back up, Bo her head back down, and they rested their foreheads against one another. "Tamsin has impeccable timing," Bo said.

"Do you ever lock the door?" Lauren questioned, frustrated.

"She still has a key. And, in the interest of not pissing off the Valkyrie, I'm going to suggest we continue this later."

"I would hate for her to make us doubt our prowess," Lauren admitted. She kissed Bo much more chastely. "Later it is. Pass the shampoo,"

They showered fast, and as they went to dress, they remembered Lauren's bloody attire from he previous night. "Shit," Lauren said, looking at the state of her clothes.

"Here." Bo tossed her a pair of her own jeans. "Looks like your bra is salvageable."

"Yes, but my top is not."

"I'll get you a tank." Bo told her, and Lauren laughed. "What?"

"There isn't enough of me to fill out one of your tank tops, Bo." Lauren saw the realization written on Bo's face.

"Hmm... Hang on," Bo told Lauren as she started digging through the back of a drawer. "Here!" She emerged triumphant with a neatly folded t-shirt she shook out to reveal _Yale Medical_.

"I thought I lost that in my move. You've had it all this time? You know that's my favorite t-shirt."

"Well, aren't you glad I couldn't bear to part with it?" she asked, taking Lauren into her arms in the hopes of convincing Lauren to quickly forgive her.

"It's a good thing I love you," Lauren said, kissing Bo on the cheek and grabbing the t-shirt from her.

At the sound of two pairs of boots clomping down the stairs, Tamsin rose from the couch and went to the kitchen, removing Bo and Lauren's disposable cups of coffee from the cardboard cup holder. She turned, coffees in hand, and handed them to the women as they walked into the kitchen.

"Thanks," Bo said.

"Good morning, Tamsin, and thanks for the coffee," Lauren said.

"Good morning, Doc," she said to Lauren. "Bo," she said less cheerfully, acknowledging her crush, who was rummaging through the bag of bagels Tamsin brought with her.

"To what do we owe the pleasure?" Bo asked as she sliced and plated her bagel. After her cream cheese was spread, she handed the knife to Lauren, who did the same. Tamsin just sipped her coffee.

"Figured you could use a little sustenance after a long night of," she paused, "reconnecting." Just as Lauren opened her mouth to speak, Tamsin spoke, anticipating the question. "Doc, you said last night that you were meeting Bo. I kind of figured where that would lead. So," she turned to walk back to the couch, thankful for a brief moment to make sure her emotions were in check, "I thought I'd be a big girl and just come over here when I knew you were both here so we could talk game plan."

"That's really big of-" Bo started.

"Stuff it, Succuslut. I'm here to talk business, not process my feelings at Girls' Night."

"There's the Tamsin we know and love," Lauren said before sipping her coffee. "Mmm... Really good coffee, by the way!" Lauren said enthusiastically.

Tamsin's mood visibly shifted. "Right?! It's from this new place on Grand." Bo didn't miss the way Tamsin's demeanor changed depending on to whom she was speaking. _So, we aren't okay. Good to know_ , she thought.

"Anyway," Tamsin dragged out the word and she looked from Lauren to Bo to bring Bo into their conversation, "the Ancients." Tamsin paused for dramatic effect. "I've brought floor plans from the building they're playing house in, plus an inventory of everything I saw while I was there." She spread blueprints on the coffee table and unfolded several sheets of paper with her lists.

"Impressive," Lauren said looking first at the blueprints and then at the lists. "Bo," she said, handing the lists to her, "take a look at the weaponry. I'm not even sure what half of it is."

"Neither am I," Bo acknowledged after looking through the lists.

"Yeah, I'm kind of old." Tamsin said in a typical Snarky Tamsin voice. "Been awhile since I've seen some of this stuff, but I was able to identify most of it. Better yet, I know what most of it does," she added, looking quite satisfied with herself. "Trick'll know the rest. Any piece I could identify the weapon but not the power, he'll know, or he'll have seven or eight ancient books that can tell us."

"How did you manage to see all of this?" Bo asked.

"Heratio and I had a long chat while I was tied up in the penthouse. I had plenty of time to look around, and when Zee was around, I got to see what she thought was most important. Some of that was probably Nyx-specific, but I still jotted it down."

"Tamsin, you have an incredible memory," Lauren noted, again looking over the lists as Bo passed them back to her.

"You don't survive s battlefield without one." Tamsin was quite matter-of-fact about it. "So," she looked at Bo, "you ready to go see Trick?"

"He's already expecting me." Bo and Lauren shared a glance, which didn't go unnoticed by Tamsin. Bo looked at Tamsin. "We need to go by the clinic first. I need to check up on Daddy Dearest, and I want to see how Mark is doing."

"Great," Tamsin said as she rolled her eyes. "Let's just invite Trick and Zee to join us and have a big ol' party right there in Lauren's office." Tamsin started rolling up the blueprints and stuffed the lists back into her bag.

It was Bo's turn to roll her eyes. "Are you ready?" she asked softly as she turned to face Lauren.

"Doc looks like she's dressed for a pep rally, not the office," Tamsin observed. Lauren looked down at her attire, having forgotten all about the Yale t-shirt. "Let me guess: change of clothes in your office, yeah?" The Valkyrie asked.

"You know me. Always prepared." Lauren picked up her coffee and bagel. "Shall we?" She motioned toward the door.

The short drive to Lauren's clinic was uncomfortable but quiet. Tamsin rode in the middle of the backseat and chatted with Lauren; she didn't seem interested in talking to Bo unless it was about the job.

A collective sigh of relief escaped as Bo parked the car. They filed into the clinic, Tamsin still talking to Lauren about battle injuries. _Only these two could chat so casually about something like this_ , Bo thought.

As they approached Lauren's office, Bo and Tamsin started past it toward Mark's room when Lauren stopped them. "Bo, can I have a word?" she asked, motioning to her office.

"Come find me when you're done, Bo," Tamsin said, a nasty tone in her voice. "I'm going to see Mark. I don't need this little reminder." With that, she headed down the hall, happy to put some distance between herself and the succubus, wishing she could also put some distance between herself and the pain she felt about Bo.

Bo walked past Lauren and into the doctor's office. Lauren closed and locked the door behind them. She leaned against the door and asked, "Do you think she knows? Is there some way she could tell?"

"I don't know. I can't tell, and honestly, if she does, I'm not sure if she would even let on. Tamsin's a friend, but I'm not sure she wouldn't keep this in her back pocket until it's useful."

"I had the same thought." Lauren headed to the small coat closet in her office to retrieve her spare clothes.

"Dyson will know."

"I've thought about that, too. I'm hoping that, if I only see him in the clinic, the fae scents and the smells of cleaning solutions will be enough to block his nose a little and give me a little time. I don't trust him to not tell Trick."

"I don't trust myself to not tell Trick, Lauren," Bo confessed. She sat down on the edge of Lauren's desk and dropped her head a little, like the truth leaving her body left her a little empty.

"Bo!" The look on Lauren's face was one of fear. "Bo, I... You... Bo, you can't," she finally breathed out. Bo looked up as Lauren wrapped her arms around her own midsection. "Please don't tell him, Bo. It's too soon. I can't..."

"I've come up with some passable alternatives, but Lauren, if he asks-if someone saw you and he knows and he asks-I won't be able to lie. He'll see it all over my face. The past 12 hours have been so emotional. I'm going to do everything I can to box up my feelings before I go in to see him, but I'm afraid it won't be enough."

"Please..."

"You know I'll always do everything I can to keep you safe. This is no different. I'm going in there with the best story I've got to tell Trick to buy us-to buy you-a little more time to figure everything out. We can hold him off a couple of days, Tamsin maybe the same, Dyson probably only a day, two at the most."

"And your father, he already knows. What reason does he have to keep my secret?" Lauren's voice was a whisper of worry.

Bo went to Lauren and held onto her upper arms, Lauren's arms still hugging her middle. "He wants me, time with me, a relationship with me. Let's hope that's incentive enough."

#####

 _A/N: I need to rewatch 5.09 before I get to Trick. I can't remember what he knows. Keep your fingers crossed I have time to do that tonight so I can catch the ep before it goes away for a few days. :)_


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Spoilers for S5 remain in effect, though now that episode 10 has aired, this story has gone off on its own. Thank you to those of you who are reading and commenting. :)_

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As she left Lauren's office and headed down the corridor, Bo was worried. She was worried about what Dyson might find out about Lauren, worried about what both Trick and her father had to say to her, worried about what Tamsin didn't have to say to her. First stop, dear old dad. She wanted to see Hades while she was alone, before she met up with Tamsin and Dyson. When she arrived at her father's cell, he was drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. "Just the kind of thing I saw my _real_ father doing first thing in the morning," she said as she approached him.

"I haven't been here in awhile. I thought I should catch up on what's been going on," he said as he looked up and folded the paper, setting it beside the mug, which he picked up for a sip. "One of your doctor friend's assistants was kind enough to bring the coffee and newspaper."

"Well, that's wonderful," Bo said sarcastically.

"What can I do for you this morning, sweetheart? Feel like chatting about our family?"

"Don't call me 'sweetheart,' and we aren't family. Blood doesn't make us family. My friends are my family."

"These people are your family? The wolf? The Valkyrie? I don't understand either of them. You broke both of their hearts, and yet, they stay. And then there's the doctor..."

"Lauren. She had a name, Dad. They all do." Bo was becoming angry.

"I'm sorry. Lauren."

"What about her?"

"She's quite the complicated one. The human among the group of Fae. Wait-the non-human among the group."

"So, you do know." Bo knew this was her opening to get her father's word he would stay silent about Lauren.

Hades stood and walked toward the glass that gave the illusion of holding him in. "She's brilliant, that one. She almost had it figured out all on her own. She just needed a little nudge before she unlocked the genetics. I can't remember the last time I've encountered such a talented scientist. Have the others figured it out yet?"

"No, and I'd like to keep it that way. I want Lauren to be able to tell them in her own time."

"Time isn't on her side on that. The wolf will-"

"Dyson. His name is Dyson." She crossed her arms over her chest to show him just how aggravated he made her each time he reduced one of her friends to only their species.

"Dyson, yes. I'm sorry. Dyson will know by the end of the day if the two spend any time together looking after his son."

"I'm not worried about Dyson. I'm worried about you."

"There's no need to worry about me, Bo. I'll do whatever I can to take care of my daughter. I'll even keep Lauren's secret, if that's what you want."

"For how long? At what price?"

"A chat. I would like to talk about what really happened back at your birth, with your mother." He gave her a look of sincerity that Bo didn't trust. She didn't really have options, though, to ensure Lauren's secret stayed a secret.

"Fine. That's a small price to pay for Lauren's safety. But, not right now. I'll come back later today. I have some things I need to take care of today."

"Seeing your grandfather, yes?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"For your information, yes. I'm heading to see Trick soon."

"Send my regards," he said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

Bo sighed. She didn't need to feel stuck between her father and grandfather. "I'll see you later, Dad." With that, she turned and walked away before he could say another word to her.

#####

Tamsin was still in Mark's room when Bo walked in. She and Dyson were chatting while Mark ate a Jell-O cup. _Bad hospital food everywhere_ , she thought to herself.

"Hey," Dyson said in greeting, smiling.

"Hey," she replied. Bo turned to Mark and asked, "How are you feeling? It looks like you're making a quick recovery!"

"Yeah. I have to. The food around here sucks."

Bo just smiled in response. This youngest member of their group didn't have half the wit or charm of her best friend. Kenzi was irreplaceable. Just thinking of Mark trying-and failing-to fill that hole in their family made her miss Kenzi more. She liked Mark fine, but she just missed her best friend.

"What's the latest with Heratio?" Bo asked Dyson, figuring-correctly-that he'd been there all night to keep a watchful eye on both the Ancient and his son.

"Same. He's still unconscious."

"Let's hope it stays that way." Bo replied.

"Is Lauren here?" Dyson asked Bo. Even with a shower, he could still smell Lauren all over Bo. He knew Bo would know Lauren's whereabouts.

"In her office. I'm sure she'll be by soon to check on Mark." Tamsin crossed her arms over her chest; she wasn't over Bo, and while she enjoyed talking to Lauren-actually more than she would have ever expected when the blondes first met-she still didn't like the Bo/Lauren relationship in the air.

"Alright. I'm going to head over and chat with her. I want to talk to her about stepping up security for Heratio." Dyson alone with Lauren in Lauren's space-that idea was making Bo very uncomfortable, but she tried to keep her cool outwardly. "Mark, you good if I go and chat with the doc?"

"Yeah, go for it," he said between bites of Jell-O.

Dyson started for Lauren's office, touching Bo's shoulder as a goodbye as he walked past.

"You ready?" Tamsin asked, looking at Bo.

"Yeah. We can go. Mark," she turned to him and patted his leg through his blanket, "keep up the swift recovery."

"Will do. See you later."

Bo and Tamsin walked down the corridor and out to the car in silence. Neither of them even bothered to turn on the radio in Bo's car. "You want to talk-" Bo started.

"Nope. Sure don't." Tamsin interrupted, and that was that. The Valkyrie sat, silent, staring out the window as the city passed by.

When they arrived at the Dal, Trick was at the bar, reading the newspaper and drinking a cup of coffee. He looked up when the two women walked in, their boots clomping on the floor. "Ysabeau. Tamsin." He nodded at them and smiled.

"Good morning, Trick," Bo said as she sauntered to a stool.

"Trickster, how about a beer?" Tamsin sat down beside Bo, but there was still a perceivable tension between the two. Trick saw it but decided not to comment. "Desperate times do call for desperate measures," Tamsin told him, as if he needed further nudging to pour the blonde a pint.

"Bo, coffee?" her grandfather asked as he pulled Tamsin's ale.

"Please," she replied. "And, you should probably bring the whole pot. Between our agenda and the stuff Tamsin brought, we could be here awhile."

After bringing coffee for his granddaughter, Trick studied the documents Tamsin had with her. "Impressive list. You have a sharp memory."

"Eh, it's a Valkyrie thing," she told him.

"I understand, but I can still compliment you on your keen eye. There are a couple of things here that I can't identify, but your descriptions are good. I'll get a few books, and we can see what we can find." Trick headed for his lair but turned and invited Bo to follow. "Bo, help me with the books?" Neither woman was fooled; they both knew this was Trick asking for a private word with Bo, who followed her grandfather down the stairs.

"Does Tamsin know about what happened last night?"

"No. I'm not sure there's much that I know about last night." She sighed.

Trick busied himself with retrieving volumes from his shelves. "Did you know there was another succubus in the county?" he asked while he thumbed through one book and then another.

"No." It wasn't a lie. She'd had no idea what Lauren had done. "There's not another that's registered with you?"

"Registration became a little lax once Iris came around. She stole my book. If there was another succubus registered in there, I have no information about her." He turned to look at his granddaughter once he finished stacking books on his desk.

"So, we don't have anything to go on?"

"I've asked a few highly trusted contacts, but no one's heard anything. Are you sure she didn't say something, give you any information about herself? Not even her name?"

"There wasn't much conversation, Trick. She was a hit and run. I went to her, and she took my chi. She was healing, so I got her out of the street. She wanted to be left alone, and she seemed well enough to me."

"It's not like you to not ask any questions of another of your kind. There are so few of you anywhere near that I would think you'd want to know more about her."

"Well, sure," she said. "That's a given, but it was chaotic. She wanted to be left alone. I left her alone." Bo tried to not sound frustrated. She was ready for the conversation to end, so she started over to where Trick was at his desk to collect some of the ancient texts.

"I heard from another source. Someone reached out to me after I called you." Bo stopped dead in her tracks, which she was sure he would notice. She chastised herself internally, but that slight bit of body language couldn't be undone. "They said they saw you out with Lauren."

"I was. We got back together." Despite all she did to avoid talking about Lauren, that little bit of information-their reconnection-made her smile, made her proud. She loved Lauren, and that happiness came from every pore, every atom, of her body. She couldn't help what she knew must have been a goofy smile; that's what loving Lauren did to her.

"It sure would have been helpful to have a doctor on site when that accident happened." Bo could tell he was still digging, but she did have the impression that he wasn't quite sure what he was digging for.

"No kidding," she said. "Do you have a plan for finding this other succubus? Is it even worth the effort to find her when we have the Ancients to deal with? She might not be helpful. She might not be interested in helping."

"I do think it's worth asking around." He picked up some books, and Bo did the same. This was her cue that she'd dodged a bullet, at least for a little while longer.

As they deposited the books on the bar, Trick noted, "Looks like we have our next few hours planned."

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Dyson stopped and picked up two cups of coffee on his way from Mark's room to Lauren's office. He knew it was a gesture the doctor would appreciate, and if he was going to propose changing things around in her clinic, even if it was to keep everyone safe, he wanted on her good side the moment he walked in the door.

After Bo had left Lauren's office, she'd left the door ajar, using the semi-privacy to compose herself for the day and still give her usual morning impression that she was available for a consult if her staff needed her.

Dyson poked his head around the door, a kind smile on his face. "Good morning. Is now a good time to chat?" He walked in far enough that he could show her the coffee, and when we raised his hands slightly to draw her attention to the cups, she offered him a warm smile of invitation. Lauren closed the file on her desk as Dyson took a seat, setting both cups on the desk. "Cream, no sugar, right?"

"Right," she said. Lauren took a long sip and let the rich warmth soothe her. She wanted her body to be as relaxed as possible, lest she inadvertently give something away that Dyson would pick up on with that nose of his. "Thanks, Dyson. How's Mark doing this morning? I was planning on making my morning rounds shortly."

"He's good. Thanks, doc. He's healing nicely. You still planning to release him in a day or two?"

"Yes, as long as everything continues to look good. Whatever Jack did," she paused and shook her head a little, "he was a tremendous help with Mark. I know it's complicated for Bo, but I'm glad he showed up when he did. For Mark's sake."

"Me, too," Dyson said. He took a large sip of his coffee before changing subjects. "Lauren, I think we should talk about security here at the clinic."

"Yes? We have security in place, and I don't think we have to worry about Bo's father leaving. I mean, he could walk out today if he wanted to, but he's staying for some reason. For Bo."

"Yes, sorry. Hades isn't my concern. I'm worried about Heratio. May I close the door?" Dyson stood and looked at Lauren, no reason to assume she would say "no."

"Um, sure…" Being alone with Dyson worried her, especially with no air circulation, once the door was closed. She was fairly certain she still smelled like Bo; she knew that another's scent wasn't so easily washed away, especially when they'd made love the night before. She now had to hope that Bo scent and the sterile hospital smells would be enough.

Dyson caught her hesitation. He wasn't sure what to make of it, so he did the one thing he relied on as a detective and as a wolf: he took a subtle draw of the air around them. He closed the office door and headed back to his chair. Something was different. He could smell Bo; of course he could smell Bo, and he tried to let that be a happy thought for both Bo and Lauren, for them together as a couple. He knew how much they meant to one another. No one knew that feeling for Bo, the love and the longing that he felt, better than Lauren. If he couldn't be with Bo—and he knew well enough now that that ship had sailed—he was happy that one of them, either him or Lauren, was with Bo.

The animal in him could also pick up a bit of heightened anxiety from Lauren—or what usually smelled like Lauren. It was still Lauren, but it was… different. _Is that it_? he wondered. _Is there something different about Lauren herself that's making her anxious?_ Dyson couldn't put his finger on it. He kept it in his mind as he turned his thoughts back to Heratio.

"Lauren, I'm worried that, if Heratio wakes up, we won't be able to contain him with the current level of security you have at the clinic."

"Dyson, I assure you, the staff here are well-trained."

"I don't doubt that, Lauren, but I want to keep everyone safe. Maybe he won't wake up, but are you willing to take that chance?"

"No, of course not."

"Good," he smiled. "Then, I'll talk to Trick about finding the right Fae for the job from the Light. I have a few folks in mind already. I was hoping you could do the same by talking to the Morrigan for her support—" Dyson stopped mid-thought. "I know what it is!"

"What? What what is?" Lauren saw the proverbial light bulb brighten above Dyson's face. He had a look like he was proud of himself, like he'd just solved a puzzle. _This is it_ , she thought to herself. _He knows._

Dyson's look shifted from one of pride to one of caution. "How long, Lauren?" he asked with a seriousness.

"How long what, Dyson?"

"Don't." He looked her right in the eyes. "Please. We've come too far as friends to play games."

"Yesterday," she said, looking down at her fingers as they wound around her coffee cup.

"Yesterday? But we were all here. Right under our noses?" Dyson sounded astonished. "How?"

"Is that a question you really want answered?" she asked him, looking up and straight into his eyes again.

"I suppose not," he thought aloud. "That's too dangerous for everyone." Dyson took a breath and shook his head with disbelief. "Lauren, now we really, _really_ need to step up security around here. When this gets out—"

" _If_ this gets out, you mean."

"Lauren, do you actually believe that no one else will pick up on this? My nose smells Fae pretty easily, though I do have to admit that Bo's scent did help mask it. Your relationship with her will help in that regard." He winked at her, and she chuckled. "Who else knows?"

"Just Bo," she said, and as soon as that thought was out, she let out an exasperated sigh as she remembered who else knew. "And Hades."

"Hades?!"

"He may have given me the idea for the final piece of the puzzle…" Lauren tried to sound nonchalant, but she knew both Hades help and his knowledge of the results were not really to be trusted.

Dyson sighed. "And Bo knows that her father had a hand in this?"

"She does, annnnnd," she drew out that last word, "we're not really talking about that right now. She's more worried about him keeping quiet."

"As well she should be." Dyson took a long drink of his coffee as he thought about Lauren being Fae. "Does Trick know yet?"

"No, but he called last night. He knows there's another succubus in town, and it won't be long before he pieces it together."

"Given this," he said, "it might not be such a good idea to also look to Evony for support in added security. She's going to be so pissed when she finds out you've made yourself Fae, while she's still human."

Lauren laughed a laugh that was full more so with fright than mirth. "So, that added security?"

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Tamsin, Trick, and Bo had been working their way through Trick's books for hours. Many of the things on Tamsin's list were both identified and had been linked to a power or purpose. A few items still eluded them.

Bo sat back and stretched. She'd sat hunched over for too long. As she began to stretch, she felt the buzz of her cellphone. She retrieved it and saw a message from Lauren waiting. _Dyson knows._ "Shit," Bo breathed out softly.

"What?" Tamsin asked, looking at the succubus.

Bo tried to play it off. "Nothing," she said. "Just my father being a pain in the ass for Lauren and Dyson." Bo turned from her phone to look at Trick. "He says 'Hi,' by the way?"

"Hades? Bo, that's another thing we should be working on. We should try to find a way to send him back. There's bound to be something in one of these volumes." Trick started moving from book to book with a renewed sense of the purpose that the hours had worn down in him.

"Trick," Bo said, tilting her head slightly to the right as she looked back at him, "right now, he seems to be the least of our problems. Aside from his snide remarks, he's staying put."

"I really wish you would stay away from him," Trick warned.

"He's my _father_. How am I supposed to stay away from him? Even if he is a Big Bad, he's still a missing piece in my puzzle, Trick. He knows things. I need to know what he knows."

"Whew… And here I thought Odin gave _me_ daddy issues…" Tamsin sighed out with a hint of sarcasm.

"Hmm," Bo hummed in response.

"What?" the Valkyrie questioned, turning to look at Bo. From her posture to her eyes, Tamsin was giving off a pissed off vibe. Trick caught that and did not want to mess with it. Bo, though, couldn't help herself.

"Well, that explains a lot." Bo said before taking a long pull on the bottle of beer in front of her.

"Really? _Really_ , Bo?

"Hey, you're the one who brought it up. I mean, I know it's been hard being so unwelcome in Valhalla and trying to find your place here—"

"I _had_ place here. Maybe this life isn't going to play out quite like I'd thought, but—"

"But what, Tamsin?" Bo challenged. Trick tried to slink away and backed up into the liquor behind him. He couldn't get away fast enough, but he also worried about leaving the two women. "What do you need to say to me, Tamsin? Out with it, already." Bo was practically yelling.

"There's nothing left to say, Bo. You said it all. You love me, but not _like that_. What more needs to be said?" Tamsin yelled. Then, she was quiet for a moment before she choked out, "What more needs to be said?" Bo and Trick watched the Valkyrie's tough exterior start to crumble. "Some fucking warrior I am," Tamsin said, avoiding looking at both Bo and Trick. "I found the battle I'll never win."

"Tamsin," Bo said, her anger gone, replaced by sadness, by the hurt she felt by seeing her friend hurt. _And I did this_ , Bo thought to herself. She reached out to touch Tamsin's arm, but Tamsin brushed her away.

"Please don't. Please, let's just focus on this bullshit with the Ancients. Just let me fight a war I can win. I just can't talk about this anymore. I can't," she paused, wiping her tears and visibly trying to rein in her emotions, "I can't do this with you right now, Bo. I can't. Just, just give me some space, okay?" Tamsin looked at Bo, and the heartbreak in her eyes made Bo's heart hurt.

"Okay," Bo replied, softly. "Okay." Bo paused. "Back to work?" she asked, looking at Tamsin, clearly offering the blonde an out.

"Back to work," she said. "But, I'm going to need another beer. And a shot. Trick?"

"I'm on it," he said, going back to his comfort zone, pouring booze, avoiding looking at either woman. There was a history between the Valkyrie and his granddaughter that Trick was happy to be in the dark about, and if they could all just go back to work on the Ancients like nothing ever happened between Bo and Tamsin, all the better, he thought. He poured himself and Bo shots, too. "To beating the Ancients," he said, raising his shot glass into the air.

"To beating the Ancients," Tamsin and Bo repeated in unison, glasses in the air.-


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I wasn't sure I would continue with this story. As I said in the beginning, this was only supposed to be a long one-shot. I don't do long stories, especially when I'm not sure where the plot is headed. Once the show went its direction with the Ancients, I sort of lost interest. This may be the last chapter, but I probably said that 3 or 4 chapters ago. I'm open to plot suggestions. For folks who are still reading, who followed/favorited this story and who encouraged an update, this chapter would not have come into being without you, so thank you for reading and taking the time to write.

As always, everything Lost Girl belongs to Prodigy, Showcase, etc. All typos, however, can be credited to me. ;)

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It was hours later when Bo and Tamsin were finally ready to close their volumes and call it quits for the day. The after-work crowd was starting to filter into the bar, and though Tamsin and Bo had long since moved into Trick's quarters, the feeling of others' eyes brought their work to an end. Bo rubbed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose as Tamsin stretched. "Beers, no books?" Bo asked.

"Booze, no books, and you've got a deal." They both rose and set their books on a table before heading upstairs. They took seats at the end of the bar. "Barkeep," Tamsin said, "two of your finest whiskeys. Payment for a day's hard work."

"Did you find anything?" Trick asked softly as he walked over?

"Not yet," Bo said with a sigh.

"Then two of my cheapest whiskeys it'll be," Trick chuckled, amusing himself.

"Funny, Gramps. Funny," Tamsin snarled. Trick poured the drinks while Tamsin played with a paper cocktail napkin.

Bo retrieved her phone from her back pocket after feeling it buzz. "Thanks," she muttered, distracted by her text messages. "Dyson has reinforcements at the clinic to step up security." Trick and Tamsin both nodded in reply. "He said Lauren is waiting on labs for one of Mark's tests, and then they'll meet us here."

"Super. One big happy fucking soap opera. Are there other people you've fucked we should invite to join us for family dinner?" Tamsin said, not quite under her breath. She gave Bo a look before draining her glass.

Trick immediately turned on his heel and walked to the other end of the bar, clearly uncomfortable by the tension between Bo and Tamsin.

"I thought we weren't doing this," Bo whispered.

"Yeah, well, I'm finding my courage at the bottom of this glass." Tamsin paused before beginning again with a little less snark, "I always knew it would be Lauren. I mean, part of me always knew. I just hoped. I just held onto hope that maybe for a little while it could be me." Tamsin's voice was soft as she spoke, her eyes closed to keep tears from falling.

"Tamsin," Bo began, "I am so sorry. So sorry. I didn't know how you felt. If I had, I would have been more careful. I thought we were casual, that we were intimate as friends. I never meant to hurt you. I was being truthful when I told you I love you. Two years ago, I never would have imagined it, but you're one of my dearest friends. You're smart and clever, and you make me laugh." Bo paused. "I should have been more careful," she said with regret.

"Yeah, you should have." Tamsin sighed. "We both should have." The snark was gone from her tone, replaced by a thoughtfulness reserved only for those closest to her. She turned to look her friend in the eyes. "Look, Bo, it's going to take me some time, but I'm going to be okay. Our friendship will be okay. My friendship with Lauren will be okay, too. You're my family, for better or worse; we're stuck with each other."

"There are few people I would rather be stuck with," Bo said with a smile.

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"You ready?" Dyson asked, poking his head into Lauren's office.

She signed off on her final report and set her pen down with a sigh. "Yes, please." She stood and stretched and exchanged her lab coat for her jacket. "Please tell me there's a pitcher in our future," she said, linking her arm with Dyson's as they left her office and headed out to the parking lot.

"I sure hope there's more than one pitcher in our immediate future," he joked.

They were halfway to The Dal when Lauren finally broached the serious subject that had been on her mind all afternoon. "Dyson, can I ask you a favor?"

"Sure, Doc. What's up?"

"I know you and Trick are close. I know you've been close a really long time. Please don't tell him about..." She paused, unsure what exactly to say. "About me. I'm not ready. I need a little more time to figure everything out."

"I swear to you, Lauren. I will not willingly reveal your secret, but don't take too long. Trick will be the least of your worries."

"I hope you're right."

"When Evony hears-"

"Please, let's not talk about Evony. Let's just have one more normal night as friends."

"Normal? Us?" Dyson chuckled.

"Well, normal for us," she replied with a smile.

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"I don't know, Trick," Bo told her grandfather, "we didn't find anything useful in our reading today. I'm going a little cross-eyed from the time we spent today. I think maybe we should go back to it tomorrow with fresh eyes." She couldn't imagine spending several more hours with Trick's library, especially when she could spend those hours with Lauren.

"I think it's in our best interest to keep going, but perhaps I can get us a little organized this evening so that we can have a better idea of where we need to look," he told her.

"And what we're looking for," Tamsin reminded him. "After my little bondage adventure with Heratio, I'm at the front of the line to get rid of them, but with a whole library, I don't know where to begin. We made it through everything you set out for us," she told Trick, "but it is feeling a lot like an ancient, rusty needle in a thousand haystacks right now." She finished her drink and handed the glass back to Trick, who filled it absentmindedly.

"Rusty needles? I hope you're all current on your tetanus boosters," Lauren joked as she and Dyson approached Bo and Tamsin. Dyson chuckled at Lauren's bad joke. "Thank you for thinking I'm funny," she told Dyson, turning to face him.

"It's not your joke, actually. It's the idea of Tamsin having to get a tetanus booster. I bet she would scream," Dyson smirked as he approached the Valkyrie, clapping a hand on her shoulder.

"Watch it," she warned him, squirming out of his grip. "I'm a warrior. I know where all the bodies are buried. Literally." She playfully shoved at Dyson as he grabbed her glass and downed it in a few gulps.

As Tamsin and Dyson bickered like siblings, Lauren walked over to Bo's other side, wrapping her arms around her from behind. "Hey," she whispered into her girlfriend's ear before kissing her on her jaw. Bo turned slightly, and Lauren leaned in for a brief but warm kiss. She smiled as she slowly pulled slightly away from Bo's lips, her eyes still closed as she savored the way Bo felt against her. "So," Lauren said as she regained composure, arms still hugging Bo from behind. "Productive day?" she asked, looking over at the former partners. Bo reached up and squeezed Lauren's hand.

"Pretty sure your girlfriend fell asleep and drooled on a couple of Trick's books," Tamsin deadpanned.

"I did not!" Bo swatted at Tamsin playfully.

"I've missed this," Dyson said, sincerely, "all of us, just hanging out." He took the bottle of beer Trick passed to him and took a long pull.

"Lauren?" Trick asked, motioning toward Dyson's beer.

"Please," she replied. He twisted off the cap and passed the doctor her beer.

"When did the Wolfman become the softy in this group?" Tamsin joked.

"C'mon. He's been a softy forever," Lauren said, letting go of Bo and moving toward Dyson. "Just look at how soft he is here in the middle," she reached toward Dyson's stomach.

Bo burst into laughter as Dyson let out an exaggerated "Hey!" as he pulled away from Lauren.

"You four are scaring away my paying customers. Go shoot pool or something," Trick said, shooing the group away from the bar.

That's exactly what they did. The group played a couple games of pool and drank a couple pitchers of beer, lost inside a bubble of normalcy for a couple of hours.

"Damnit, you sneaky human!" Tamsin exclaimed after losing a game of pool to Lauren. Everyone but Lauren had played a couple of games while the doctor watched. Tamsin finally talked Lauren into shooting a game with her, and she regretted it almost instantly, barely getting a turn before Lauren sunk her balls. "Hustled by a human," Tamsin muttered while Lauren leaned against a nearby table, cue in hand, trying to not look too smug.

"A brilliant human," Bo said, smiling.

"That's my girl," Dyson said, offering Lauren a fist bump she enthusiastically returned.

"Your girl?" Bo said, smiling, snaking her arm around Lauren's shoulders. The doctor leaned into her slightly, and Bo kissed her temple. Lauren closed her eyes and smiled warmly as Bo's lips pressed against her skin. It was a small exchange of their love, just a moment, but it warmed both women.

Lauren opened her eyes, breaking the spell. Dyson was taking a drink of his beer while Tamsin racked the balls, neither wanting to intrude on the small, intimate exchange. "I told you that you didn't want me to play, Tamsin. I was a physics minor as an undergraduate. It was a course of study that paid off immediately when I started hustling drunk frat boys. No one thought a nerd would put up much of a challenge. Bought my first crappy car off of those winnings."

Bo pulled back slightly to look at her girlfriend. "Well, well, Dr. Lewis, seems you had a bad girl phase…"

"Shit. If the succubus didn't know that bad girl business…" Tamsin muttered into her beer mug. Dyson, who was mid-gulp, almost spit his beer back into his mug as he began laughing. Lauren's face warmed bright red, and Bo leaned over and playfully smacked Tamsin on the upper arm.

After he stopped laughing, Dyson chugged the remainder of his beer, then wiped the suds from his mustache. "It's been a fun evening, all, but I think I'm going to call it a night."

"Alicia still at your place?" Bo asked him.

"Yes, and I hope she hasn't gotten herself into too much trouble without Mark or me there to supervise. I told her it might be a late-ish night and to not wait up, but—"

"—she'll wait up," Bo finished, smiling at her friend. "Go on. Get out of here. Go see your human… whatever she is to you," she said with a wink.

"We should probably get going, too. I've got an early morning at the clinic," Lauren told Bo softly.

"I'm just going to…" Tamsin let the sentence hang unfinished as she tried to be nonchalant around Bo and Lauren. In truth, she wasn't sure where she was going. She'd thought about sleeping on Dyson's couch, but she'd forgotten about Alicia. And, she didn't want to be the third wheel at the clubhouse.

"Oh, Tamsin," Lauren said, interrupting Tamsin's awkward attempt to not be awkward. "You should stay at the clubhouse. We could stay…" she paused to briefly as she turned to look at Bo "…at my apartment?" She said it more as a question, conferring with her girlfriend to try and make the sleeping situations the least awkward they could be.

"Yeah," Bo jumped in," stay at the clubhouse. We'll just stay at Lauren's. That won't be weird, right?"

"No," both Lauren and Tamsin said quickly, trying to assure everyone else—and themselves—that the three of them could do this, could be friends who sometimes cohabitated, who weren't worried trying to be nonchalant about Bo and Lauren sleeping together and Tamsin's love for Bo.

"Okay. Good," Bo said, clapping her hands together once. "Good."

"Good," Lauren quickly agreed. Tamsin nodded. "So, we'll, uh, we'll see you tomorrow?" Lauren asked Tamsin.

"Absolutely. We, uh, we've got more work to do tomorrow." Tamsin shook her head slightly, knowing how awkward everyone felt. "Meet here tomorrow morning?" she asked Bo.

"Sure." With that, everyone headed out for the night.


End file.
